AN ODE TO A VOTER

Wherever you are on your journey today in this uncertain life, you should know that your voice is loud. Your voice is so loud and influential that you don’t need to argue with your neighbor, convict your opponent or condemn a candidate. All you need to do is go vote. And do it, consciously. Whatever that looks like to you. Your friends, peers, counterparts and more will soon forget about this egregious day and respect the results.
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There’s not enough debate to be had to change some minds. There’s not enough proof to lie out to change some souls. There’s not enough studying and enlightenment to do to help somebody make the right decision. We’ve all formulated our truths and our alliances based off of a multitude of life experiences. You see, those experiences have come from the way we were raised, our socioeconomic status and more. Too many experiences to shape into one universal law. Too many consequences to lay at the feet of one person: our new president.

Thereof, you’ve got a duty to do. You have a surefire calling to complete as a citizen. Today, as you sit in this uncertain life, you can’t sit there and complain if you don’t vote. You can’t tell anyone what to do if you don’t vote. You can’t talk about your issues if you don’t vote. Because guess what? Nobody cares. No action will be taken to rectify your realm of non-voting reasons. Democracy only works if you are included in the process. Democracy works better when more people participate.
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As I watch many of you post you are silencing your social media today, I cringe. It is time to get loud on social media today. Ring the alarm. Today is a day many have fought for. Marches and boycotts brought us here. Tears and blood trailed us to the polls. Your right to vote is a debt you owe to those who fought mercilessly for democracy. Rise up.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) once said: “I say to each and everyone of you, in the best way I can. I gave a little blood on the bridge, but some people gave their lives,” Lewis said of the fight to pass the Voting Rights Act in 1965. “The vote is precious. It is the most powerful non-violent tool we have in a democratic society, and we must use it. And so you must go out all across America and tell young people, and people not so young, tell all of us: Vote. The vote is powerful.”

The world won’t be still for you today. The world won’t stand still for any of us ever. Somewhere across the globe, a child is running through the safari recreating a real life Jungle Book story. A happy couple is enjoying a honeymoon on the beaches of Thailand. A millennial wanderer is truly wondering where, when and how they will make their stakes in this uncertain life. A group of ole’ faithful’s are calling to the most high for answers.

So as the world turns, make your mark and vote. We all want a happy ending. Though you may not get the picture perfect story through voting, there is some solace and humility when leaving the polls that make you feel like you’ve risen to the occasion at a Greek Coliseum.
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Sincerely,
Your friend who voted!
Jasmine Hockett